1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming method of using an aqueous liquid containing a dye to deposit the dye electrochemically, thereby forming an image, an image forming apparatus suitable for the image forming method, and a method for manufacturing a color filter using the image forming method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods for recording an image onto a recording medium such as paper based on an electric or optical signal, which are currently utilized in printers or the like include the dot impact recording method, the thermal transfer recording method, the thermal sublimation recording method, the ink jet recording method, and the electrophotographic method. These methods are roughly classified into three main groups.
The methods, which are included in the first group are methods of bringing a sheet in which dye molecules are dispersed, such as an ink ribbon or a donor film, into contact with a medium such as paper and then the dye molecules are transferred to the paper by a mechanical impact or heating, and include the dot impact recording method, the thermal transfer recording method, and the thermal sublimation recording method. In these methods, however, consumption articles other than ink and electric power are necessary. Energy efficiency is also low, and running costs are high. Furthermore, apart from the thermal sublimation recording method, the image quality obtained in these methods is poor.
The methods, which are included in the second group, are non-contact methods, and include an ink jet recording method of jetting ink from a ink head onto paper. The ink jet recording method does not require consumption articles other than ink and electric power. However, it is difficult to control the size of the ink dots, the flying direction thereof, or the like completely. Moreover, the ink jet recording method is not high in energy efficiency.
The methods, which are included in the third group, are methods of forming an image on paper via an intermediate transferring member, and include the electrophotographic method, in which toner is adhered onto a latent image on a photosensitive member which is formed by laser spots and then this latent image is transferred onto paper to form an image. In the electrophotographic method, a relatively sharp and fine image can be formed. However, in the electrophotographic method, high voltage is necessary for forming a latent image on the photosensitive member, absorbing the toner by the photosensitive member, and transferring the absorbed toner onto paper. Therefore, there occur problems such as a large amount of power is consumed and ozone and nitrogen oxides are generated.
All of the methods in the first, second and third groups also have the problem that, in general, the noise of the operation of forming an image is quite loud.
Furthermore, a method is known in which a solution, in which a pigment or a dye is dispersed in a polymer having electrodepositing ability, is used to form a electrodeposited film, although it is not as common as the above-mentioned methods.
Those of the methods as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 60-23051 (Color Printing Apparatus), Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 4-165306 (Method for Making a Color Filter), and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 7-5320 (Patterning Method, Electrodepositing-Master for Using the Method, and Method for Making a Color Filter And Optical Recording Medium). The electrodeposition film formed in these methods contains a dye which is fixed inside a polymer film as a supporting matrix. The dye content in the ectrodeposition film does not exceed 30%. Therefore, an image having only a low density proportional to the energy consumed energy can be obtained so as to resulting in problems about energy efficiency and cost. Furthermore, in such a method, the same number of dye-applying baths as the number of primary colors used in an additive color method or a subtractive color method are necessary for obtaining a color image or a color filter, and a single electrodeposition step is essential for every primary color.
In view of the above respective properties, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method in which a dye can be used to realize high image quality, and in which the density and color of an image can be adjusted, which has excellent safety, is environmentally friendly, and has low energy consumption.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method which makes the electrodepositing operation for obtaining a color image easier.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus using the above-mentioned image forming method.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for making a color filter using the above-mentioned image forming method.